15 coastal interior decorating tips from our favourite summer homes

A bevy of beautiful beach houses and holiday retreats to fall in love with
- by
Diana Moore

03 May
2019

Brigid Arnott

If like us you can’t always wait for summer to arrive, here’s a host of coastal interior decorating inspiration and how to get the look while we wait for the heat to kick in.

It’s not hard to fall in love with coastal style. Our climate lends itself to indoor/outdoor living and Home Beautiful continues to celebrate coastal interior decorating for a true beach style experience at home.

It has certainly added fuel to the fire of our love of easy, breezy living and many of us love to decorate our homes to reflect this lifestyle.

High ceilings and French- or bi-fold doors that swing open to welcome cross-drafts; timber-lined walls with crisp white-painted architectural detailing and cooling natural fabrics on our upholstered furnishings for maximum breathable comfort.

We took a trip through the HB archives to bring you a selection of some of our all-time favourite homes that embody this way of life throughout to bring you 15 tips, tricks to embrace coastal interior decorating.

1. Indoor/outdoor flow

Stacked or sliding, bi-fold or French - whatever you choose, be sure to have doors that open wide to extend the outdoors inside and allow for a flow of fresh air, light and lifestyle as the sun shines. Keep surfaces simple to transition from indoors to outside and make the most of natural light in clerestory windows when everything is shut up.

2. Weathered timber details

A little texture goes a long way and when looking for decorating ideas to achieve the essence of coastal living, use natural, neutral tones and pair with light blue and sea glass colours for an instant seaside sentiment.

3. Style vignettes with collected shells and handmade homewares

The living room is a great space to have a little fun with coastal style. Use your sideboard or coffee table as a blank canvas on which to build a coastal vignette with natural beach house decorating and tie in wall art with your coastal living aesthetic with woven textiles, found branches and driftwood sculpture.

4. Outdoor shower

Go beyond a token beach theme in your decor and use function to dictate your decor ideas. Fast becoming a must-have in any beach house is an outdoor shower - nothing says holiday quite like it and in terms of practicality, it can certainly take the pressure off an indoor wet area when accommodation is at maximum capacity.

5. Open plan master suite

Coastal living calls for flowing textiles, billowy curtains and light, breezy interior design. Natural linens, timber accents and open plan layout can easily extend to the master suite to enjoy a beach house vibe from the moment you wake up.

6. Keep it simple like a beach shack

Stick to the essentials. A small space can prove ample to tuck in all the trappings of beach house style and living simply has its benefits - easy cleaning, clutter-free and multi-functional spaces working hard to cater for living, dining and entertaining.

7. Nautical touches

Think classic, rather than cliché when it comes to decor ideas. Nautical touches take on a modern look when paired with all-white paintwork in living areas. Keep to neutral tones in key furniture pieces to maintain an uncluttered result overall.

8. Set the scene in the entrance hall

Go bold in your entrance to establish an essential tone for coastal style - now matter whether you have a rustic beach house or a contemporary apartment. Lighting, mirrors and flooring all play a part in making up the whole interior decorating concept.

9. Use sand-coloured flooring in the high traffic areas

Simple solutions to everyday issues arising from coastal living, such as sand travelling into your home in a seaside location can be remedied with design choices. Flooring is required to be durable, beautiful and natural in appeareance.

Mindi Cooke

"Mid-toned timber floors are the easiest to live with, as they hide muddy paw prints, sand and more"

SimoneHomeowner

10. All white brings in natural light

There's nothing like an all-white home to tick boxes on the beach-house decorating wish list. Crisp and clean, white finishes in walls and cabinetry allows light to bounce off surfaces and further into the living areas of the home.

13. Draw on elements of nature

14. Choose a white sofa with removable slip covers

For the ultimate beach house furniture solution, invest in a sofa with removable covers for easy cleaning year round. Take the pressure off a hard-working lounge suite to resist life's wear and tear and you'll find that most companies will have a range of heavier fabrics to switch on the warmth in winter.

15. Allow plenty of natural light

An essential element of coastal living is the flow of light into the living areas throughout your home. Choose window treatments that don't obstruct light but rather diffuse the heat of summer and invite the warm winter breezes.

Diana MooreContent expert, florist and interior decorator Diana Moore has been passionate about helping others make the perfect home ever since she moved into her own. From styling her local bar to feel like your best friend’s lounge room, to randomly restyling people’s bookshelves, Diana is a firm believer in making the best of what you have in front of you.